Alexander the Great The First Multiculturalist in History

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Alexander the GreatThe First Multiculturalist in
History

• Mr. Oberholtzer
• A-36

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Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)

• Born in Pella, Macedonia
• Son of Philip II of Macedonia
• Educated as a Greek by Aristotle
• taught rhetoric, literature, science and
  philosophy
• Taught that Greek civilization was superior

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Philip II of Macedonia

• Father of Alexander the Great
• Great Warrior-King
• Held hostage by city of Thebes as a young man for
  2 years learned how to fight!
• Seized the throne in 359 BC
• perfected the use of the heavy Phalanx to conquer
  Greece at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC
• Assassinated in 336 BC by enemies in Pella,
  including his wife! Alexander may have been part
  of the plot!

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Alexander Comes to Power

• Alexander moved to crush revolt in Thebes and
  Thrace, selling 8,000 people into slavery
  secured his power!
• Alexander planned to conquer Persia to fulfill
  his fathers wish
• Invasion of Persia began in 334 BC

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Creation of Empire

• Alexander began the war against the Persians by
  crossing the Hellespont in 334 BC
• He never had more than 35,000 troops
• Battle of Granicus (334 BC) defeated a Persian
  army of 40,000 and gained control of Asia Minor
• Battle of Issus (333 BC) defeated large Persian
  army (120,000) under King Darius III.
• Alexander conquered the Fertile Crescent, Egypt
  and crushed Darius forever at the Battle of
  Gaugamela (331 BC)

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Alexander as the first Multiculturalist

• Darius was killed by his own men
• Alexander treated the mother, wife and daughter
  of Darius with the respect due royalty
• Forbade harsh treatment of the Persians
• Set the Example
• married Roxane, daughter of Darius
• adopted Persian dress and ate Persian food
  worshipped Persian gods.
• encouraged his men to take Persian wives and
  combine cultures
• conscious desire to blend the two cultures
  together!

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Images of Alexander
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Strategy of Alexander

• Alexander allowed conquered peoples to keep their
  culture, local officials and religion
• Alexander drafted foreigners into his army and
  treats them as equals
• Alexander does not burden them with heavy taxes
  or levies
• He is seen as an emancipator!

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Alexander turns to the East

• Alexander was on the march for 11 straight years
  never saw Macedonia again!
• Marched east, conquered the Parthians, Bactria,
  and invaded the Indus river valley of western
  India
• Never lost a battle
• Forced to turn back by his men during monsoon
  season

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Empire of Alexander the Great
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Death of Alexander

• Returned to the west at the request of his men
• Wintered in Babylon
• Took part in a drinking contest and drank 6
  quarts of wine
• Took sick and died without naming an heir
  (supposedly his last words were to give the
  empire to the best man)
• Achievements
• greatest empire in the world
• first multiculturalist
• basis of Hellenistic Civilization

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Alexanders Army